Progress Report: Students will present this to the class (five minutes) with a one page written synopsis for the instructor. Discussion and feedback can proceed for a few minutes after the presentation. I will intervene to keep it moving along.
This report reviews progress to date and identify a plan of action for the next phase of the work. Reviewing progress is not merely a matter of cataloguing what tasks one has done, it should show that what one has done has been thoughtful, directed and competent. It should show how the work connects to the importance of the subject.
Students should normally include four or five of the following in their reports:
Title (note changes) – titling is important. A title needs to arouse reader interest but it must be accurate. It must not promise more than the paper can deliver or you will have a disappointed reading audience
Note feedback and advice from the instructor and fellow students. Indicate how you responded or are responding.
General reflections. A plan for the next phase of the work.
Note how the research subject, has been developed or refined (or are in the process of so being). This should probably be with reference to the original research proposal or a previous report.
How the research methodology is being developed and why it is appropriate to the end of achieving results that reflect on the importance of the subject
What are you learning by doing the research?
How are you dealing with sources and citations – footnotes, parenthetical citations with bibliography, depends on style manual. If you are not using a style manual, do so.
Possibly note progress towards the actual writing of the final report: These are things you might (or might not) wish to address in this report. They are, however, issues you are likely to face as you move into the writing of the final report.
Problems? Is the central idea still too difficult or unwieldy? Do you need help?
What form/structure will the report take? Will it connect to a powerpoint presentation? Will you append lyrics, a cd or mp3s be. Will the paper have a conventional structure (Intro. Research Design, Results (how sequenced?) conclusions? Or will you use an alternative structure (literary devices to create drama, interest?
What points do you want to make in the introductory paragraph (this should relate to the importance of the research to you and the world at large and/or suggest implications for illuminating a broad issues.
How are you planning to end the paper. Remember, a conclusion should be useful to the reader, it should let him/her know that benefits the effort of reading the paper has rendered. Here are some things a conclusion can do:
connect the paper's findings to a larger context, such as the wider conversation about an issue as it is presented in a course or in other published writing.
suggest the implications of your findings or the importance of the topic.
ask questions or suggest ideas for further research.
revisit your main idea or research question with new insight.
Here's How I will grade this report - Parameters of Assessment/evaluation:
Thoroughness of your exploration of progress (6 – Points)
content
organization
clarity
Delivery (4 points)
poise
connection to audience
balance (between entertainment and educational value)
Written Synopsis of report (5 points) This should be about one page double-spaced using 12 point conventional fonts and 1” margins all around. Evaluation will be based on the thoroughness of your exploration of progress and clarity of the writing.
Presentation Tips: Applying to this and every other presentation
Remember that presenting your work to a live audience means that you must balance the aims of informing and entertaining. You should deliver your work in an animated way, welcoming your audience into fellowship with the fascinating information your research has uncovered.
Never apologize for your work. If you feel that your work is poor or second rate, have the courtesy to your audience to disguise that bald fact as much as you possibly can.
Be hyper-aware of timing. Never go over the time limit. If your presentation is a bit shorter than the allotted time, that is fine.
If you have discussion questions for the audience make sure that they are open-ended questions rather than yes/no questions
You should always thank your audience for their kind attention to your points.
End your presentation with a statement as to questions that the research suggests (and that you have not addressed in your research) or a statement as to what you have learned by completing the research (beyond the information you have dug up). Do not end with a jarring statement like “That’s it, then.” This is what I call “pushing the audience over a cliff.”
Professionalism means taking yourself, your subject, and your audience seriously and showing proper respect.
This report reviews progress to date and identify a plan of action for the next phase of the work. Reviewing progress is not merely a matter of cataloguing what tasks one has done, it should show that what one has done has been thoughtful, directed and competent. It should show how the work connects to the importance of the subject.
Students should normally include four or five of the following in their reports:
Here's How I will grade this report - Parameters of Assessment/evaluation:
Presentation Tips: Applying to this and every other presentation